Contents Contents Step by Step Tutorial by Thomas M. Simmons 1ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial1 Contents Graphisoft Visit the Graphisoft website at http://www.graphisoft.com for local distributor and product availability information. Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial Copyright © 1998-2003 by Thomas M. Simmons. All rights reserved. Reproduction, paraphrasing or translation without express prior written permission of the author and Graphisoft is strictly prohibited. Published by GRAPHISOFT R&D Rt. Second edition - first printing. Trademarks ArchiCAD and ArchiFM are registered trademarks and PlotMaker, Virtual Building, StairMaker and GDL are trademarks of Graphisoft. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. 2 ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial Contents Contents About the Author Thomas M. Simmons President ARCHVISTA The Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial was developed by ARCHVISTA and used with the ArchiCAD training course at the San Francisco Institute of Architects. This is the first edition of Step by Step produced for ArchiCAD 8. The author, Thomas M. Simmons, spent seven years as an architect and served as the Director of Design Technology for Esherick, Homsey, Dodge and Davis Architects, an award-winning and internationally acclaimed architecture firm, before starting his company, ARCHVISTA. While at EHDD Architects, he was instrumental in integrating and managing ArchiCAD on a variety of projects including single-family houses, commercial buildings, libraries and aquariums. Simmons received a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree from Texas A & M University. He has been a speaker on a variety of subjects including Beginning to Advanced ArchiCAD, Architectural Multimedia, QuickTime VR and Architectural Visualization. ARCHVISTA has produced several notable projects for the architectural and ArchiCAD markets including the acclaimed NASA Virtual Tours - 2002, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Building Technology Facility - 2001, the award-winning Architectural Record, Record Houses CD-ROM - 1997 and 1998 and the award winning visualization of the American Hebrew Academy with Aaron Green Architects - 1998. ARCHVISTA is a leading consultant and reseller of ArchiCAD for the Northern California, Nevada and Oregon regions and can be reached at www.archvista.com. ARCHVISTA is a member of the Virtual Building Group representing the largest base of ArchiCAD users in the United States. 3ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial3 Contents 4 ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial Contents Contents About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Step 15: Placing the Building on a Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Introduction 7 Part Four: Measuring and Costing a Building 95 Step 16: Calculating Building Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Part One: Concepts and Tools 13 Step 17: Creating Building Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Step 1: The ArchiCAD Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Step 2: Understanding Objects and GDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Part Five: Presenting the Design to a Client 103 Step 18: Using Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Part Two: Project Setup 25 Step 19: Developing an Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Step 3: Customizing the Drawing Environment . . . . . . . . . . 25 Step 20: Viewing Virtual Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Step 4: Managing Project Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Step 21: Creating a Sun Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Part Three: Creating the Virtual Building 37 Step 22: Defining a 3D Cutaway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Step 5: Establishing the Base Building Layout . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Part Six: Producing and Publishing Drawings 125 Step 6: Viewing the Building in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Step 23: Creating the Sheet Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Step 7: Working with Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Step 24: Placing, Positioning and Viewing Drawings . . . . . 129 Step 8: Completing the Building Envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Step 25: Publishing, Printing and Plotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Step 9: Developing the Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Step 10: Working with Doors, Windows and Skylights . . . . 67 Part Seven: Detailing, Management and Archiving 137 Step 11: Adding Internal Circulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Step 26: Detailing a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Step 12: Defining Room Usage and Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Step 27: Reviewing a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Step 13: Adding Final Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Step 28: Managing a Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Step 14: Creating a Ceiling Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Step 29: Archiving a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial 5 Contents 6 Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial Introduction Introduction of lines, arcs, circles and blocks. With traditional CAD, your drawing is a 2D representation of how the building will be built. It is very similar to hand drafting but automated with Welcome to Step by Step computer technology. With Virtual Building Technology, you construct a building The Step by Step Tutorial for ArchiCAD 8 is designed as a 16- using building elements: floor slabs, walls, roofs, windows, to 20-hour course that will guide you through a project. By doors, stairs and other objects. A Virtual Building uses the end of this course, you should have a basic understanding intelligent objects to create building elements. With object of ArchiCAD concepts, tools, drawing techniques and oriented CAD, each object in the system represents a building modeling. The steps highlight the implementation of a element with a behavior and intelligence relevant to that project, methods of design and the application of tools for element. For example, the behavior of a door is different than construction documents. the behavior of the wood used to construct it. Because you The intention of this course is to offer a consistent and have the real model of a building, not just a 2D representation organized process for learning ArchiCAD based on an of one, you can ask it building specific questions. For architectural project. instance, you can get detailed reports on egress analysis, heat Each step guides you through the concept or technique to be loss analysis, code compliance or cost takeoffs. learned, the information necessary to build the exercise, and From the virtual model, buildings can be analyzed with what to do for that step. The steps also contain diagrams of respect to building mass, overshadowing and visual the Toolbox and dialogs that provide quick references to appearance. ArchiCAD can automatically generate plans, Tools used in that exercise. elevations and sections, perspective views, animations and virtual reality views. The Concept of a Virtual Building Integrated Building Information Architectural software is evolving rapidly from an “automator” of two-dimensional drafting to a three-dimensional building Architects and building professionals using integrated 3D simulator. As a result of this evolution, the architect’s ability to CAD software generate a wealth of valuable building construct a “virtual building” on a desktop computer, to information that can be used for both the traditional simulate the building’s behavior both before it is built and architectural practice as well as for many new fields and throughout its life cycle, will change the architect’s design services. Some of the opportunities that can utilize this process, fee structure, and relationship with the client, information are: contractor and the community. In addition to transforming the •Building master planning, design and development architect’s own practice, ownership of the 3D computer •Creation of renderings, animations and virtual reality model will carry important competitive advantages in scenes procuring all future work associated with the same building. •Production drawings, details and schedules Traditional CAD vs. Virtual Building Technology •Building marketing So what is the difference between traditional CAD drafting •Management of building spaces and assets and Virtual Building Technology? Traditional CAD is the world Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial 7 Introduction •Post-occupancy studies and simulation of design changes explorations in ArchiCAD,” Steven said. “And the potential it •Analysis and visualization of product performance over offers for us to communicate design ideas to our clients, our the building life cycle builders and ourselves.” •Content development for electronic building component STUDIOS Architecture (Washington, D.C.) objects including product data and links to manufacturer With a tight project timeline, the design team at STUDIOS Websites appreciated ArchiCAD’s ability to generate three-dimensional With ArchiCAD and its Virtual Building Technology, models automatically from the floor plan and section views architects, in partnership with owners, are in a prime position allowing them to advance the construction documents, make to assert their central role not only in the initial design of design studies and prepare client presentations at the same buildings, but also in their long-term programming, time with relatively little additional work. maintenance and operation. “Modeling in 3D gives you and your client a chance to look at a design critically and react to it,” project architect Bill How Firms use ArchiCAD Deegan said. Deegan also cites that STUDIOS could shave off As the new age of Virtual Building Technology unfolds, critical time by sending QuickTime VR scenes to the client by architecture firms and the building industry must consider e-mail and through an Intranet which links STUDIOS U.S. how to effectively apply Virtual Building Technology to offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and New York. design, production, collaboration and information analysis. The Orcutt/Winslow Partnership (Phoenix, Arizona) ArchiCAD offers a complete solution and, unlike other CAD systems, has been built on the foundation of architecture. When Orcutt/Winslow began to fully embrace the Virtual Building method of working, they had to rethink their billing With this in mind, there are a variety of architecture firms process. “The time spent on the project is greater up-front, but using ArchiCAD and its Virtual Building Technology system. the documents phase time and effort has been significantly The firms range in size from one-man firms to large reduced”, Winslow said. ArchiCAD’s single, integrated companies and specialize in a variety of projects including database allows them to start the input of specific materials housing, retail, commercial, schools and others. Here is what and systems at a much earlier point in the design phase. With several architects have to say about ArchiCAD and their use of this method, they can show these details at any point, and Virtual Building Technology: comfortably make modifications because any changes made House+House Architects (San Francisco, California) will be updated in all views. “Our schematic designs show a much more complete three-dimensional presentation to the “Part of ArchiCAD’s value lies in modeling and easy client and allow us to evaluate the design in 3D more perspectives; you do not need to put a lot of effort into it,” Steven House said. “But it is worth it to take the extra step to thoroughly at early stages.” create views with a different flavor. The results can be very “Office morale and profitability are both on the rise and we powerful.” are currently in the process of shifting our project phasing percentages to take into account the Virtual Building House+House are very hands on with their projects, working methodology,” added project manager Russ Sanders. “More closely with builders, artisans and craftsmen to ensure that no time is expended up front establishing the links from the detail goes unconsidered. “We are very excited about our 8 Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial Introduction primitive model to the layout sheets. Once this is done, the rest To View the Movies on Windows of the project can be developed within the model. By the time Choose the Step by Step Interactive option of the Startup we have completed the design development phase, we are dialog box of the ArchiCAD 8 CD-ROM or Browse this CD, actually about 60 percent complete with construction open the Step by Step Interactive folder on the ArchiCAD 8 documents.” CD-ROM and double-click the file called Step Interactive.htm. Rockefeller/Hricak Architects (Venice, California) This will open into your default web browser. “We would like to think that the appearance of our work is a To View the Movies on MacOS direct result of how it gets built. Using ArchiCAD to build a Open the Step by Step Interactive folder on the ArchiCAD 8 ‘living’ model of the building helps us to focus on issues and CD-ROM and double-click the file called Step Interactive.htm. assist us in making design decisions as the project takes This will open into your default web browser. shape.” The firm is concerned not just how buildings look, but To locate the corresponding movie for a step, use the also how they function over time. information under the CD-ROM icon. “We need to be able to predict how the building will look 10 to P-1: Indicates the main section, Part 1: Concepts and Tools 20 years down the road, because that affects the way we design S-4: Indicates the step, Step 4: Editing and Notation it,” Hricak said. “If something is going to wear out in 20 years, we need to understand how that element interacts with what is M-C: Indicates the movie designation for Step 4, Movie C - around it. Obviously the structure is not going to wear out, but Multiply Exercise windows will be repaired, and equipment will become obsolete. 1-4: Indicates the exercise numbers if the movie refers to ArchiCAD helps us be clear about the separation of systems more than one exercise and get a sense of how the building will perform.” To play the QuickTime movie, simply click the name of the movie (the name in color with an underline), such as Movie C How This Book and Step by Step - Multiply Exercise. The screen will jump to the movie and Interactive Work Together begin playing it. This book (also available in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format on the ArchiCAD 8 CD-ROM/ArchiCAD Documentation folder) is divided into seven sections beginning with the introduction of concepts, then moving through the construction of a Virtual Building. The Step by Step Interactive acts as a virtual assistant that answers questions with real-time movies of each step. All you need to use the interactive is a standard web browser. Whenever you see this icon... ...it means there is a QuickTime movie demonstrating the step. It is that simple! Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial 9 Introduction How to Install and Use the Step Files on Windows Insert the ArchiCAD 8 CD-ROM into your computer’s CD- ROM drive. The main dialog box of the installation appears on your screen, where you can choose from the options by single-clicking on the appropriate caption: • Install Step by Step Tutorial If you have an installed ArchiCAD 8 on your hard drive and How to Install and Use the Step Files on you need only the Step Files, click Step by Step Tutorial MacOS caption and follow the installation procedure. Once completed, the requested items appear in the existing Insert the ArchiCAD 8 CD-ROM into your computer’s CD- ArchiCAD 8 folder. Double-click on them and discover your ROM drive. The contents of the CD-ROM will appear on your new ArchiCAD tutorial files. screen. Library Manager If you try to open a Step file and the Library Manager dialog box appears, asking where the ArchiCAD Object Library is located on your hard drive, you must: 1. locate the ArchiCAD folder, 2. open it and select the folder called ArchiCAD Library 8, 3. click the Add button in the center of the dialog box, 4. click the Done button. 10 Graphisoft ArchiCAD Step by Step Tutorial